Editing Battle of Modlin (section)

{{Short description|1939 battle between Nazi Germany and Polish forces}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Modlin
| image             = Ujście Narwi do Wisły (cropped).JPG
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = <small>Ruins of the southern bridgehead</small>
| partof            = [[Invasion of Poland]]
| date              = 13–29 September 1939
| place             = [[Modlin (village)|Modlin village]], [[Modlin Fortress]], [[Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Warsaw Voivodeship]], [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]]
| result            = German victory
| combatant1        = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Second Polish Republic|1928}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Hermann Hoth]]<br> {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Adolf Strauss (general)|Adolf Strauss]]<br>{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Werner Kempf]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} [[Wiktor Thommée]]
| units1            = {{Collapsible list
|title = German Units
|{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} II Army Corps:
* [[Panzer Division Kempf]]
* [[32nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|32nd Infantry Division]] 
{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} XIV Army Corps:
* [[29th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|29th Motorized Infantry Division]] 
{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} XV Army Corps:
* [[6th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|1st Light Division]] 
* [[2nd Light Division (Wehrmacht)|2nd Light Division]] 
{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} Wehrmacht Reserves:
* 213th Infantry Division
* 221st Infantry Division
* 228th Infantry Division
}}
| units2            = {{Collapsible list
|title = Polish Units
|{{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} Army Modlin:
* [[8th Infantry Division (Poland)|8th Infantry Division]]
* [[20th Infantry Division (Poland)|20th Infantry Division]] 
{{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} Army Łódź:
* [[2nd Legions Infantry Division (Poland)|2nd Legions Infantry Division]] 
* [[28th Infantry Division (Poland)|28th Infantry Division]]
* [[30th Infantry Division (Poland)|30th Infantry Division]] 
}}
| strength1         = 4 infantry divisions <br> 2nd Light Division <br> [[Panzer Division Kempf]] <br> 100 aircraft [https://web.archive.org/web/20070214074348/http://www.1939.pl/bitwy/modlin.htm]
| strength2         = 40,000 men (peak) <br> 96 guns <br> 7 [[TKS|TK-3]] tankettes <br> Armoured train "Śmierć"
| casualties1       = 900 killed <br> 670 wounded
| casualties2       = 1,300 killed <br> 4,000 wounded <br> 35,000 captured
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Polish September Campaign}}
}}

[[File:Obrona modlina 1939.png|thumbnail|left|Map of the battle by [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lonio17 Lonio17]]]
The '''Battle of Modlin''' took place during the 1939 German [[invasion of Poland]] at the beginning of the [[World War II|Second World War]]. [[Modlin Fortress]] was initially the [[headquarters]] of the [[Modlin Army]] until its retreat eastwards. From 13 to 29 September 1939, it served as a defensive citadel for Polish forces under the command of [[General]] [[Wiktor Thommée]] against assaulting [[Nazi Germany|German]] units. The fighting was closely linked with the strategic situation of the [[Siege of Warsaw (1939)|Battle of Warsaw]].

The Polish forces defending the [[fortress]] included the [[armoured train]] ''Śmierć'' ("death") and the Modlin [[anti-aircraft]] battery, which was credited with shooting down more ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' planes than any other in the entire September campaign.

Fortress Modlin [[capitulation (surrender)|capitulated]] on 29 September, one of the last to lay down its arms in the campaign, and surrendered 24,000 troops.<ref name=Zaloga>Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., {{ISBN|9781841764085}}</ref>{{rp|78}} Several days earlier, [[Rochus Misch]] had attempted to negotiate the surrender of the fortress despite being wounded, an act for which he was awarded the [[Iron Cross]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/246754/The-last-survivor-of-Hitler-s-downfall-in-the-bunker |last1=Schnoor |first=Stefan |author2=Boris |title=The last survivor of Hitler's downfall - The Fuhrer's bodyguard gives last interview |newspaper=[[Daily Express]] |date=15 May 2011 }}</ref>

Soldiers of the [[Panzer Division Kempf]] committed the [[Massacre in Zakroczym]] on 28 September 1939.